Vegan Style

Let me start by saying this: I don't do the New Years Resolution. Never have. Still don't. Never will.

However, today is New Years Day 2011 and today marks Day 1 in what will become a month long crusade. Today is Day 1 where for the month of January I will no longer live to eat. For the month of January I am going to Eat to Live - Vegan Style.

Go ahead and mock it. Go ahead and disagree with the theory and the plan. That's fine. Heck, I'm still unsure of how much of going vegan I agree with. Though I am fairly certain I'm in the vegan corner. I do know this - my wife has dabbled on and off for the past couple years with going Vegetarian and Vegan and it's intriguing.

I'm not joining Peta. I'm not going to start throwing paint on fur coats. None of that. This not a "moral" decision. This is based simply on health. A health experiment if you will. I've been thinking a lot about how food is the fuel to your body. It sounds cliche and corny because it is. Alas, that does not mean it's not true. I think it gets overlooked and I'm going to take it seriously.

I'm currently relatively healthy. I'm considered "skinny" for my height and build by my doctors and I am in the mid-range regarding Body Fat. My cholesterol is average...although that is because I'm on cholesterol medicine due to hereditary concerns. I work out regularly - sometimes. Wait, what? That's like saying, "60% of the time it works every time...!" Anyway you get the drift. This is an experiment and I'm diving in for no other reason other than health, curiosity and the challenge.

My body is my Atheistic Temple as they say.

Those who disagree with the "lifestyle" of the Veg' will argue that you will miss the lean meats and the proteins. They'll throw stats and numbers at you. They'll throw a quart of milk your way and say you need the calcium. That's all well and good but I can throw stats right back if I so chose to get defensive!

I'm a firm believer that dairy is unhealthy. Don't tell that to the mozzarella I eat on a regular basis though. We'll keep that between us. Thanks. I've seen and read enough evidence that convinces me so. Don't go veg' but take dairy out've your diet and see how much weight you lose and how great you feel. (then go back on it and see how it messes up your stomach. that's not a coincidence) The calcium the USDA claims you need and supposedly can only get from milk can be had from a dozen other forms of non-dairy and non-processed foods.

That was a tangent and unplanned at this juncture. Sorry. Next time I'll use the "Tangent Alert" to warn you.

Starting today I will spend the month of January as a Vegan. I will also combine the healthy eating with a healthy dose of morning workouts. I will chart my progress several times throughout the month via this blog so you can see how I'm sufferi...I mean, progressing.

Come February 1 I may and probably will dine at Forte and enjoy the #1 ranked Chicken Parm around...or maybe not. If nothing else it will be a healthy and challenging experiment for the month. One in which had I not had the opportunity to write about I would probably fail to the temptations of mozzarella.

Is it really difficult to be disciplined for 1 lousy month - 4 lousy weeks? Ok fine, don't answer that.

I'm sure I'll have many an "observation" along the way since my opinions can not be reined in like my diet.

Happy New Year

(Authors Note: This post was meant to go up on New Years Day. However, due to alcohol consumption and lack of sleep the night before the plan of action and thus the post got pushed back a day. Who says you can't start your pseudo-resolutions a day late anyway?)